No-fear attitude finally pays off for James Franklin

WELLINGTON - A no-fear attitude and a desire to play for New Zealand to give a better life for his family, has got James Franklin back on the New Zealand Cricket payroll.

The Wellington all-rounder and fast bowler Hamish Bennett were both granted elevated central contracts in recent days, joining the existing 20 who were signed in July, stuff.co.nz reports.

Franklin got over the line in the second one-day international against Pakistan in Queenstown, his fifth of the summer, along with two tests. He bowled only two overs that day before rain intervened.

In July last year, Franklin was devastated, mulling his future at English county Gloucestershire after being cut from the NZC top 20.

He considered quitting New Zealand cricket altogether to take up fulltime contracts in England.

“A lot of self-evaluation went on about where I was at and wanted to be, and wanting to get the best for my family. But I still had the desire to play for New Zealand and I’m just fortunate that the stars have aligned a bit and with some hard work and a few performances I’ve got myself back into the system, ” he was quoted, as saying.

He described his participation in the upcoming World Cup and the games to be played thereafter as big for his future in the game.

“I came in and my attitude was, ‘I had nothing to lose at the time’. It’s important that all the batsmen have that freedom, have no fear and back their ability to go out and do a job,” he said.

He now features in New Zealand’s first-choice XI as a No5 batsman and sixth or seventh bowler.

New Zealand needs to finish in the top four of group A to book a quarterfinal spot in the World Cup that gets underway from February 19 in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. (ANI)